From my experiences traveling the Philippines, I’ve gone on to observe a wide range of tourism practices, with several reaching exemplary levels, while others unfortunately less so. What stands out in memory, however, are those that are done right, particularly those that prioritize the well-being of local communities. After all, it’s the people who live closest to these destinations who should, above all, have a say in how they are managed.
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| Members of the Marang-Marang Association that manages the Marang-Marang mangrove forest |
Fortunately, there are a number of places across the archipelago where tourism is handled with care, often serving as models for best practices. To cite just a couple of examples, the tourism initiatives in Sagay City, Negros Occidental, and Isabela City, Basilan, remain shining examples of how thoughtful, community-centered development can truly expands the benefits of tourism.
Sagay City
Strengthens Efforts to Protect Nature, Art, and Cultural Heritage
Sitting at the
northern tip of Negros Occidental, Sagay City is quietly making a name for
itself as a destination where nature, art, and culture converge—while staying
deeply connected to its local roots. At its heart lies the Sagay Marine
Reserve, a vast 32,000-hectare sanctuary teeming with marine life, making
it the largest of its kind in the Philippines. Within this protected seascape,
you'll find Carbin Reef, a dazzling white sandbar surrounded by turquoise
waters, and the Maca Reefs, rich in coral and aquatic biodiversity.
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| If you are lucky, you may also get the chance to meet Nunelucio Alvarado, considered as one of the few surviving maestro artist in the country |
Beyond the waves,
there’s more to explore: the Suyac Island Mangrove Ecopark, home to century-old
mangroves; the interactive Museo Sang Bata sa Negros, designed to spark
curiosity in young minds; the vibrant Bougainvillae Art Community, where local
artists thrive led by enigmatic maestro artist Nunelucio Alvarado; and the
laid-back Lapus-Lapus Floating Cottage, perfect for unwinding amid nature.
Sagay may be under the radar now, but it won’t stay a secret for long.
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| Welcome to the community of colors |
In Bougainvillae, Old Sagay, hop on a "Trisikad Tour" and cruise through a neighborhood bursting with color and creativity. Local volunteer artists, under the direction of Syano Artlink and homegrown master painter Nunelucio Alvarado, have turned walls into vibrant canvases, transforming this small community into an open-air gallery. The best way to take it all in?
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| The Trisikad tour guides welcomes visitors |
A leisurely ride on a
trisikad, a bicycle with a sidecar decked out in hand-painted designs, offering
a front-row seat to this immersive street-art experience with the trisikad
owner behind the pedal serving as your tour guide.
.JPG "Carbin Reef") |
| Carbin Reef |
A drawn out white
sandbar emerging from the Visayan Sea, Carbin Reef is the centerpiece of
Sagay’s marine sanctuary. This tongue-shape stretch of powdery sand, surrounded
by crystal-clear waters, invites visitors to snorkel among thriving coral
gardens teeming with marine life. Conservation is in full effect here with only
a limited number of guests are allowed at a time, ensuring that the reef’s
delicate ecosystem remains undisturbed.
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| The community members who manages the Suyac Island Mangrove Ecopark |
Tucked away in
Sagay’s coastal waters, Suyac Island Mangrove Ecopark is a sanctuary of
tangled roots and resilient trees. Here, community members maintain and manage a
15-hectare forest inhabited by century-old mangrove trees that stand as natural
fortresses, shielding the shoreline from storms, even registering zero casualty
during typhoon Yolanda, while nurturing marine biodiversity.
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| Members of the community performing group, performs a welcome cultural show for guests |
After being greeted
with a song and dance from the community’s performing arts group, trained
community guides leads the visitors through wooden walkways as they share
relevant information about the labyrinth of mangrove trees.
Today, this Ecopark
serves as a model for sustainable tourism development, inspiring communities
nationwide. The same model is also followed and implemented in another mangrove
forest called Lapus-Lapus Floating Cottage.
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| Community guides leads guests on a peaceful kayak ride through the mangroves of Lapus-Lapus |
With a strategy
focused on attracting the right market to ensure low-impact, high-value
tourism, officials are also leading financial literacy efforts through the
Community-managed Savings and Credit Association (COMSCA).
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| Young bright minds leads the tour inside the museum |
Sagay City’s Museo
Sang Bata Sa Negros is no ordinary museum. It’s a gateway to the marine
world, designed to inspire the next generation of conservationists. Interactive
exhibits invite both children and adults to explore marine ecosystems,
fostering curiosity through hands-on activities and storytelling. The museum’s
trained guides, aged eight to twelve and part of its “Junior Guide Program,”
bring these stories to life. One of the earliest junior guides, who started in
third grade, later pursued a marine biology degree in college. Managed with the
dedication of both educators and local fisherfolk, the museum bridges science
and community, teaching young minds the harmonious relationship between people
and the sea.
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| Guests are also shown how to make some of Sagay's favorite kakanin at Kape Albarako |
Sagay’s
transformation into a model for community-centered sustainable tourism emerged
from a troubled past of environmental exploitation. The once-thriving coral
reefs and marine ecosystems of the Visayas Sea suffered severe destruction,
with elders still recounting the echo of dynamite blasts shattering the waters
each morning.
A turning point
came in 1999 when Sagay’s seascape, classified as protected under the National
Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1995, saw the official
creation of the 32,000-hectare Sagay Marine Reserve through Republic Act 9106.
This milestone marked the community’s commitment to safeguarding nature for
generations to come.
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| Suyac Island |
Sagay City’s
commitment to sustainable tourism is taking shape through carefully planned
eco-tourism loops, says Tourism Officer Helen Arguelles. "Since we
strictly adhere to our carrying capacity, our strategy is to develop more
community-managed eco-tourism loops with controlled visitor numbers," she
explains. "One loop is nearly complete, while two others are progressing
in terms of infrastructure and community organization."
Looking ahead,
Sagay envisions positioning itself as a regional hub for MICE (Meetings,
Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), particularly hosting forums about
sustainable tourism and environmental conservation. The city also aims to
become a learning center for Protected Area Management and eco-tourism, to
further attract the right market.
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| Chef Mark Lobaton prepared a slow-food feast in Old Sagay style, which included Kinilaw na Tanigue, Kinilaw na hipon, sea urchins, and a lechon, at Carbin Reef. |
Sagay is also
embracing the principles of Slow Food Travel, Arguelles notes. Local
communities managing attractions like Suyac Island Mangrove Eco-Park,
Lapus-Lapus Floating Cottage, and Carbin Reef—alongside a growing number of
inland dining spots—are aligning with the Slow Food Movement’s "clean,
good, and fair food" philosophy. By reviving heirloom recipes and sourcing
organic ingredients locally, they are adopting a meaningful link between food,
culture, and sustainability.
Isabela de Basilan
Advocates Cultural Immersion in Award-Winning Tourism Program
From the northern
tip of Negros Island, we heads toward the southwest Mindanao province of
Basilan where the component city of Isabela and former capital of the province
is located.
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| An aerial view of Marang-Marang Mangrove Forest |
Here, tourism is
being reshaped to emphasize sustainability, inclusivity, and meaningful
engagement for both visitors and the local community. Aiming to transform
traveling from merely focusing on visual sights, the city is putting more
weight on storytelling, ensuring that the voices of the locals resonate and
that visitors carry home authentic narratives that challenge outdated
perceptions of the region shaped by sensationalized headlines from decades ago.
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| Isabela de Basilan's Malamawi Beach is just one of the many sites to visit in the city |
At the heart of
this effort is the Marang-Marang Women's Association, a community-based
tourism (CBT) program that has received regional acclaim. The group shows
visitors not only the beautiful natural setting of Marang-Marang Mangrove
Forest, but also the region's culinary traditions, the hypnotic movements of igal
dance, a traditional dance of the ethnolinguistic Sama Bajau people of the Sulu
archipelago, and the intricate craft of weaving colorful mats and fabrics.
Aside from cultural preservation, it also plays an important role in
environmental conservation by serving as custodian of the mangrove sanctuary,
which is both a natural resource and a heritage monument.
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| Platters of Sama Bangingi and Tausug culinary delights |
Visitors gain a
better knowledge of Isabela de Basilan's identity this immersive experience,
and the program reinforces the idea that tourism is about people and stories as
much as locations. In doing so, the project adds to the overall Philippine
tourism environment, particularly in culinary and experiential tourism, where
Moro traditions are underrepresented. Furthermore, the city is introducing
halal-certified services to target a specific market niche, broadening its
tourism appeal.
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| A weaver of Yakan tennun |
Following the
success of the Marang-Marang Women's Association, similar initiatives are
emerging. Among these is the Bajau Women Weavers of Tampalan (BAWWAT), a
group committed to the traditional technique of weaving Tepo mats out of pandan
leaves. Recognizing the importance of market access, the local government has
stepped in to help promote their products, assuring the continuation of this
centuries-old art form.
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| Marang community members |
In the uplands, the
Tennun Weavers of Kapatagan Grande (TWAKG) carry on the rich legacy of
Yakan tennun weaving, while the Maligui Bamboo Makers are pioneering the
use of bamboo products for livelihood and preservation of heritage crafts.
According to the
city's Tourism Officer, Claudio M. Ramos II, Isabela de Basilan's aim goes
beyond improving its image; it is about building strong, resilient communities
based on cultural legacy and economic empowerment. The local government is
creating a viable tourism ecosystem that benefits both hosts and guests by
making smart investments in capacity building, infrastructure, and market
connections.
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| Exploring the mangrove forest of Marang-Marang |
“We are just
getting started,” Ramos II said. “We can't wait to unveil much more in the
coming months and years as we work to make our city a premier destination for
sustainability, cultural immersion, and understanding.”
Two Philippine
Cities Win Prestigious ASEAN Tourism Awards
Coincidentally,
these two Philippine cities found themselves in the spotlight at the 2025 ASEAN
Tourism Standard Awards, held on January 20 in Johor, Malaysia. Sagay earned
praise for its conservation-driven initiatives on Suyac Island, a mangrove
sanctuary that has become a model for ecotourism. Isabela
de Basilan’s Marang-Marang Women’s Association was recognized for its role in
fostering a thriving community-based tourism program. More than just a badge of
honor, this award underscores the community's commitment to preserving and
amplifying the cultural heritage of the Moro people, particularly the Sama
Banguingui and Bajau communities.
Through the
collaborative efforts of local government units in Sagay City and Isabela de
Basilan, along with national agencies such as the Department of Tourism (DOT)
and its regional offices, the community-based tourism (CBT) programs in both
cities have been significantly strengthened and made more sustainable. The
Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Philippines, the marketing arm of the
DOT, has played a key role in this progress by conducting CBT workshops and
providing crucial support—donating kayak units to Sagay and weaving materials
to the weaving communities of Isabela de Basilan among others. These
initiatives have enhanced the consistency and impact of the CBT programs,
empowering local communities while promoting cultural and environmental
sustainability.
By championing
nature conservation, community empowerment and preservation of culture, both
projects, hailed as exemplars of responsible tourism, are now being looked up
to as case studies for similar efforts across the region.
